Just so we're clear, possible SPOILER ALERT coming. You have been warned.

Gordon-Levitt will play Alberto Falcone, the son of Gotham City organized crime boss Carmine Falcone, Variety reports. Carmine was previously seen in Nolan's 2005 debut with the franchise "Batman Begins," a character played by Tom Wilkinson. This could also mean that the character, and likely the actor who played him, will be returning for "Rises."

[UPDATE: Entertainment Weekly reports (via yet another unnamed source) that Gordon-Levitt is indeed in "The Dark Knight rises," but will not play Alberto Falcone. Let the speculation continue, I guess. -RM]

Here's where things start to get more spoiler-y, so proceed with caution. The inclusion of Alberto in the story points back to the darker, more serious tone in Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale's "Batman" books, specifically "The Long Halloween." It is only Nolan's latest nod back to Loeb and Sale's work, which some expect to heavily inform the story in "The Dark Knight Rises." Alberto's presence certainly lends credence to that belief.

In the comics, the younger Falcone turns out to be one of the main antagonists of "The Long Halloween." He is believed to be the Holiday Killer, though the question of the the holidays-only assassin's true identity is left a mystery. There is also evidence pointing to Harvey Dent's wife Gilda in the original story, which supports last week's news that Aaron Eckhart may reprise his Dent/Two-Face role in "Rises" after all.

With Alberto Falcone now confirmed, how closely do you expect Nolan to follow the Loeb/Sale story? Let us know what you think in the comment section or on Twitter!